Cherry-pitter.



M/IT/VESSES: //\/VE B I I No. 886,906. PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

- A. G. WEINHARDT.

CHERRY PITTER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 20, 1907.

2 SHEETS -SHEET l.

UNITED STATES PATENT anion.

ALBERT Gr. WEINHARDT, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO KATIE PUTNAM EMERY AND JULIUS CHARLES HALLIDAY, OF BENTON HARBOR,

MICHIGAN.

CHERRY-PITTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed May 20, 1907. Serial No. 374,633.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. WEIN- HARDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Cherry-Fitter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in cherry pitters, and its object is to provide means whereby the pits maybe eX- peditiously removed from the cherries and the pitted cherries be deposited in a suitable receptacle.

The invention consists essentially in a tilting table for receiving the cherries from a suitable hopper, which table or plate is perforated to form pockets in which the cherries may be temporarily held, and in operative relation to said table is arranged a plunger having as many pins as there are perforations in the plate or table, the construction being such that when the pins are moved through the perforations in the plate or table the cherry pits are forced out through the pulp, and when the plunger is returned to its normal position it causes the plate or table to tip and direct the pitted cherries to another suitable receptacle.

The invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of the improved cherry pitter; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the tilting table and adjacent parts, with certain parts shown in section; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the tilting plate or table and the adjacent parts.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a suitable clamp stand 1, which may be of ordinary construction, for attachment to a table top 2 or any other suitable structure in the usual manner. At the top of the stand 1 there is formed a U-shaped frame 3 integral with the stand and at a suflicient distance above the clamp to permit the introduction of a suitable container, although the latter is not shown in the drawings. The side legs 4 of the frame 3 are parallel one with the other,

and at right angles to that portion of the frame 'which is directly connected to the standard 1 and between the legs 4 is arranged a tilting plate 5. This plate is shown more in detail in Fig. 4 where it will be seen that it is formed of an upper member 6 and a lower member 7 with an interposed rubber or similar member 8. The upper member 6 is formed with countersunk perforations 9, and the lower member 7 is formed with plain perforations 10 of about the same size as the free diameter of the perforations 9, while the interposed rubber sheet 8 has perforations 11 concentric with the perforations 9 and 10 but of smaller diameter. At one end the member 7 has a down-turned curved apron 12,-to be hereinafter referred to.

The three members 6, 7 and 8 are joined near one end by screws 13 which may be of the ordinary type, and at the other end by other screws 14 so shaped as to constitute ears by means of which the plate is pivoted to the legs 4 by means of pivot pins 15.

Near each corner of the frame 3 are arranged corner posts 16 which may, if desired, be made of tubes, as shown in Fig. 4, with through bolts 17, or any other suitable construction may be used.

Secured to the top of the corner posts is a top frame 18 having a boss 19 formed at its center through which passes a rod or stem 20 carrying at its lower end a plate 21 having a number of downwardly projecting pins 22 equal in number to the perforations in the tilting plate 5 and so spaced that when the plate 21 is moved downward the pins 22 will pass into and through the perforations 9, 10 and 11 in the tilting plate. The diameter of the pins 22 is such that they will pass snugly through the perforations 11 in the rubber sheet 8. Each corner of the plate 21 may be appropriately cut away on an arc, as shown at 23, to partially embrace the corner posts 6 which thereby keep the plate 21 central to the structure when being moved up and down with relation to the plate 5. On the upper end of the stem 20 is provided a head or hand piece 24, and between this head 24 and the boss 19 the stem is surrounded by a spring 25, of considerable stiffness, and another spring 26 of weaker construction.

Supported by the posts 16 at a point between the lower ends of the pins 22 when in their uppermost position and the tilting plate 5 is a perforated plate 27 through which the pins pass when moving downward to the plate 5.

On the outer edge of the plate 5 is a pin 28 engaged by a link 29 extending to the outer end of a lever 30 pivoted on one of the corner posts 16 and havin its other end in the path of a pin 31 on the p ate 21.

Attached to the frame 3 is a hopper 32 which may be shaped a shown in the drawing or otherwise shaped, as desired, and this hopper has an opening 33 at its lower end so shaped as to direct cherries placed in the hopper upon the plate 5.

Let it be assumed that the hopper is full of cherries. A certain number will gravitate throu h the opening 33 on to the plate 5 and will either spontaneously find their way into the countersunk openings 9 or may be moved thereinto. with the pins 22 is in the elevated position. Now, when pressure is brought to bear upon the hand piece 24 the first result is the compression of the spring 26 and the de ression of the plate 21 and pins 22 toward t e plate 5 with the cherries pocketed in the perforations 9. When more pressure is brought to bear upon the hand piece 24 the stronger spring 25 is compressed and the ins 22 are forced through the cherries carrying the its through the perforations 11 in the rub er sheet 8, the ulp of the cherries, however, being retained upon the late 5. When the hand piece 24 1s release the plate 21 is elevated by the stronger spring 25 overcoming the resistance offered to the passage of the pins 22 through the rubber sheet 8. However, there is a liability of the pitted cherries clinging to the pins 22, but the wiper plate 27 will readily remove the cherries from these pins and for this movement the spring 26 is amply strong, thus saving the user from exerting as much force to depress the plate 21- as would be necessary were the spring 25 continued throughout the total length of the stem 20.

It will be noticed that the plate 5 is pivoted near the front end. Normally, it rests in the horizontal or near the horizontal position upon ledges 34 formed on the inner edges of the legs 4 of the frame 3. When, however, the plate 21 is elevated the pin 31 engages the lever 30 and through the link 29 depresses the outer edge of the plate 5, thus causing its inner edge to be elevated. This movement may be somewhat sudden, thus dislodging the itted cherries from their seats in the perforations 9, when they will gravitate from off the plate 5 into a suitable receptacle (not shown) which may be provided for the purpose of receiving such pitted cherries.

Normally the plate 21 When the rear end of the plate 5 is elevated the apron 1-2 acts as a closure for the delivery opening 33 of the hopper 32.

While not so shown in the drawings, it.

will be understood that the plate 5 may, in its normal position, have a slight slant to ward the outer end so that the cherries when received upon the plate from the hopper 32 will tend to roll toward the outer edge and so find seats in the perforations 9 more remote from the delivery opening 33.

I claim:-

1. A cherry pitter comprising a tilting perforated plate for holding the cherries to be pitted, a pin member having as many pins as there are perforations in the plate and movable to and from the latter, a lever in the path of the pin member, and connections between said lever and the tilting plate for causing the latter to tilt when the pin memher is receding from the plate.

2. A cherry pitter comprising a tilting perforated plate pivoted to normally maintam an approximately horizontal position, a pin member having as many pins as there are perforations in the late and movable to and from the latter, an a lever connected to the plate and in the ath of the pin member and engaged and re eased by the latter on its movement away from the plate, whereby the said plate is first tilted on its pivots and then permitted to fall by gravity to its normal horizontal position.

3. A cherry pitter comprising a perforated plate pivoted near one end for tilting, a pin member having as many pins as there are prerforations in the plate and movable to and om the latter, and connections between the pin member and the tilting plate for causing the latter to move on its pivots when the pin member is receding from the plate.

1. In a cherry pitter, a tilting plate for the cherries, a pin member movable to and from said tilting plate, connections between the pin member and the tilting plate for actuating the latter, a hopper adjacent to the tilting plate, and an apron formed on the tilting plate and acting to close the delivery end of thehopper when the plate is tilted.

5. A cherry pitter comprising a perforated plate for the cherries, a pin member movable to and from the perforated plate, and springs of different strength put progressively under tension as the pin member is moved toward the perforated plate.

6. A cherry pitter comprising atilting plate having countersunk o enings for the reception of the cherries anc an elastic web provided with openings coincident with the countersunk openings, a pin carrier provided with pins and movable to and from the per forated plate, connections between the pin carrier and the plate for tilting the latter as the carrier recedes from the plate, springs of different power put under tension by the pin my' own, I have hereto affixed my signature czltrrier trlhen mived toward the perlfiorated in the presence of two witnesses.

ate a 0 er avin an o enin a 'acent $0 the plate j nd an ap ion caI ried ly tlle tilt- ALBERT GEORGE WEINHARDT' 5 ing plate and movable to close the 0 ening Witnesses:

in the hopper. when the plate is tilted? JULIoUs O. HoLLInAY,

In testnnony that I claim the foregoing as I W. S. HOSTON. 

